Protecting your smile requires the daily effort of consistent oral hygiene. When you brush and floss each morning, you gain the confidence of fresh breath as you go about your daily activities. Cleaning your teeth again before bed helps you prevent bacteria from forming plaque on the surface of your smile as you sleep. These habits form your first line of defense against cavities, gum disease, and other oral harms that threaten the function and beauty of your grin! By combining your efforts with semiannual dental checkups, we can inspect the results of your brushing and flossing techniques and let you know if certain areas require additional care.
At your Prairie Village, KS dental practice, we can help you establish a consistent oral hygiene routine when you attend your cleaning and exams. When we detect issues with your oral health, we both treat them in the present and provide advice on preventing reoccurrence in the future. This could mean filling a cavity or offering periodontal maintenance to get gum disease under control. By making your hygiene a priority, you can enjoy healthy smiles for years to come!
How Bacteria Harms Your Smile
Your daily oral hygiene efforts help you remove plaque deposits that form on the surface of your smile. Left untreated, bacteria feed upon the remnants of your meals to create a sticky film. As the bacteria eat starch and sugar, they create an acidic waste product that dissolves the protective outer seal of your enamel. These deposits can also enter your gingival tissues and result in gum infections that threaten the stability of your smile.
Brush Your Teeth Twice Per Day
When shopping for a new toothbrush, select one with soft enough bristles that do not hurt your gums. You should also select a toothpaste that contains fluoride to help you strengthen your enamel. Fluoride can remineralize the outer layer after it has been weakened by decay. Each time you brush, take at least two minutes to make sure you fully clean the surface of each and every tooth.
Don’t Forget To Floss!
Flossing helps you reach plaque deposits that your brush cannot reach on its own. By pulling the string against the side of each tooth, you can clear plaque that sticks near the gumline. This is vital to preventing gum infections and the painful symptoms that they cause.
Talk To Your Prairie Village, KS Dentist About Scheduling A Dental Checkup!
It is never too late to improve your oral hygiene! If you have fallen behind on your brushing and flossing, schedule a visit to clean your smile. We can help you get your smile care back on track! To learn more or to schedule a visit, please contact your Prairie Village, KS dentist’s office at (913) 901-8585.
